Yeremia 31
1 “Wakati huo, nitakuwa Mungu wa koo zote za Israeli nao watakuwa watu wangu,” asema Bwana.
At that time, saith Jehovah, will I be the God of all the families of Israel, And they shall be my people.
2 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Watu watakaopona upanga watapata upendeleo jangwani; nitakuja niwape Israeli pumziko.”
Thus saith Jehovah: The people, escaped from the sword, hath found favor in the wilderness; I will go and give rest to Israel.
3 Bwana alitutokea wakati uliopita, akisema: “Nimekupenda kwa upendo wa milele, nimekuvuta kwa wema.
Jehovah appeared to me from afar, [[saying, ]] With an everlasting love do I love thee, Therefore have I kept mercy for thee.
4 Nitakujenga tena nawe utajengeka upya, ewe Bikira Israeli. Utachukua tena matari yako na kwenda kucheza na wenye furaha.
Again will I build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel! Again shalt thou adorn thy tabrets, And go forth in the dance of them that make merry.
5 Utapanda tena shamba la mizabibu juu ya vilima vya Samaria, wakulima watapanda na kufurahia matunda yake.
Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria; The planters shall plant, and eat the fruit.
6 Itakuja siku wakati walinzi watakapowapigia kelele juu ya vilima vya Efraimu wakisema, ‘Njooni, twendeni juu Sayuni, kwake Bwana Mungu wetu.’”
For the day is coming when the watchmen shall cry upon Mount Ephraim, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion, To Jehovah, our God.
7 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Mwimbieni Yakobo kwa furaha, mpigieni kelele aliye mkuu wa mataifa. Zifanyeni sifa zenu zisikike, nanyi mseme, ‘Ee Bwana, okoa watu wako, mabaki ya Israeli.’
For thus saith Jehovah: Sing with gladness for Jacob, And shout for the head of the nations! Publish ye, praise ye, and say: Jehovah, thou hast saved thy people, The remnant of Israel.
8 Tazama, nitawaleta kutoka nchi ya kaskazini na kuwakusanya kutoka miisho ya dunia. Miongoni mwao watakuwepo vipofu na viwete, mama wajawazito na wenye utungu wa kuzaa. Umati mkubwa wa watu utarudi.
Behold, I will bring them from the land of the North, And gather them from the extremities of the earth; And with them shall be the blind and the lame, The woman with child, and she that is in travail with child together; A great company shall return thither.
9 Watakuja wakilia; wataomba wakati ninawarudisha. Nitawaongoza kando ya vijito vya maji katika mapito yaliyo tambarare ambapo hawatajikwaa, kwa sababu mimi ndimi baba wa Israeli, naye Efraimu ni mzaliwa wangu wa kwanza.
They shall come with weeping, And amid supplications will I lead them; I will conduct them to streams of water, In a straight way, in which they shall not stumble. For I have become a father to Israel, And Ephraim is my first-born.
10 “Sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi mataifa, litangazeni katika nchi za pwani ya mbali: ‘Yeye aliyewatawanya Israeli atawakusanya na atalichunga kundi lake la kondoo kama mchungaji.’
Hear the word of Jehovah, O ye nations, And proclaim it in the distant coasts, and say: “He that scattered Israel will gather him, And will guard him, as a shepherd his flock.”
11 Kwa kuwa Bwana atamlipia fidia Yakobo na kuwakomboa mkononi mwa walio na nguvu kuliko wao.
For Jehovah hath redeemed Jacob, And ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.
12 Watakuja na kupiga kelele kwa furaha katika miinuko ya Sayuni; watashangilia ukarimu wa Bwana: nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta, wana-kondoo wachanga na ndama wa makundi ya ngʼombe nitakaowapa. Watakuwa kama bustani iliyonyeshewa vizuri, wala hawatahuzunika tena.
And they shall come and sing upon the height of Zion; They shall exult in the bounty of Jehovah, The corn, and the new wine, and the oil, And the young of the flock, and of the herd; And they shall be as a well-watered garden, And they shall languish no more.
13 Kisha wanawali watacheza na kufurahi, vijana waume na wazee pia. Nitageuza maombolezo yao kuwa furaha, nitawapa faraja na furaha badala ya huzuni.
Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, And the young men and old men together, For I will change their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and cheer them after their sorrow.
14 Nitawashibisha makuhani kwa wingi, nao watu wangu watajazwa kwa ukarimu wangu,” asema Bwana.
And I will satisfy the priests with fatness, And my people shall be satisfied with my bounty, saith Jehovah.
15 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Sauti imesikika huko Rama, maombolezo na kilio kikubwa, Raheli akiwalilia watoto wake na anakataa kufarijiwa, kwa sababu watoto wake hawako tena.”
Thus saith Jehovah: A voice hath been heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel, weeping for her children, Refuseth to be comforted, because they are no more.
16 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Izuie sauti yako kulia, na macho yako yasitoe machozi, kwa kuwa kazi yako itapata thawabu,” asema Bwana. “Watarudi kutoka nchi ya adui.
Thus saith Jehovah: Refrain thy voice from weeping, And thine eyes from tears, For thy labor shall be rewarded, saith Jehovah; They shall come again from the land of the enemy.
17 Kwa hiyo kuna tumaini kwa siku zijazo,” asema Bwana. “Watoto wako watarudi nchi yao yenyewe.
There is hope for thy future days, saith Jehovah; Thy children shall come again to their border.
18 “Hakika nimeyasikia maombolezo ya Efraimu: ‘Ulinirudi kama ndama mkaidi, nami nimekubali kutii. Unirudishe, nami nitarudi, kwa sababu wewe ndiwe Bwana, Mungu wangu.
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself: “Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, Like a steer not broken. Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, For thou, O Jehovah, art my God!
19 Baada ya kupotea, nilitubu; baada ya kuelewa, nilijipiga kifua. Niliaibika na kuona haya kwa sababu niliibeba aibu ya ujana wangu.’
Surely, after I returned, I repented, And after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea, I was confounded, Because I bore the reproach of my youth.”
20 Je, Efraimu si mwanangu mpendwa, mtoto ninayependezwa naye? Ingawa mara kwa mara ninanena dhidi yake, bado ninamkumbuka. Kwa hiyo moyo wangu unamwonea shauku, nina huruma kubwa kwa ajili yake,” asema Bwana.
Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a beloved child? For as often as I speak of him, I do earnestly remember him still. My heart beateth for him; I will have mercy upon him, saith Jehovah.
21 “Weka alama za barabara, weka vibao vya kuelekeza. Zingatia vyema njia kuu, barabara ile unayoipita. Rudi, ee Bikira Israeli, rudi kwenye miji yako.
Set thee up waymarks; Raise thee pillars; Have regard to the highway, the way that thou goest! Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these thy cities!
22 Utatangatanga hata lini, ee binti usiye mwaminifu? Bwana ameumba kitu kipya duniani: mwanamke atamlinda mwanaume.”
How long wilt thou wander about, O rebellious daughter? Behold, Jehovah createth a new thing in the earth: The woman shall protect the man.
23 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo, “Nitakapowarudisha toka nchi ya kutekwa kwenu, watu walio katika nchi ya Yuda na miji yake kwa mara nyingine tena watatumia maneno haya: ‘Bwana akubariki, ee makao ya haki, ee mlima mtakatifu.’
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Again shall they say in the land of Judah, And in the cities thereof, when I bring back their captives, “May Jehovah bless thee, O habitation of justice, O holy mountain!”
24 Watu wataishi pamoja katika Yuda na miji yake yote, wakulima na wote wanaohamahama na mifugo yao.
And Judah shall dwell in it, and all his cities together, Husbandmen, and they that go forth with their flocks.
25 Nitawaburudisha waliochoka na kuwatuliza walio na huzuni.”
For I will refresh him that is thirsty, And I will satisfy him that languisheth.
26 Kwa jambo hili niliamka na kuangalia pande zote. Usingizi wangu ulikuwa mtamu kwangu.
Upon this I awoke, and beheld, And my sleep was sweet to me.
27 Bwana asema, “Siku zinakuja, nitakapoongeza idadi ya watu, na kuzidisha hesabu ya mifugo katika nyumba ya Israeli na nyumba ya Yuda.
Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, That I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah. With the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.
28 Kama vile nilivyowaangalia ili kungʼoa na kubomoa, kuharibu, kuangamiza na kuleta maafa juu yao, vivyo hivyo nitawaangalia ili kujenga na kupanda,” asema Bwana.
And it shall be that as I have watched over them To pluck up, and to pull down, and to overthrow, And to destroy, and to afflict, So will I watch over them To build, and to plant, saith Jehovah.
29 “Katika siku hizo, watu hawatasema tena, “‘Baba wamekula zabibu chachu, nayo meno ya watoto yakatiwa ganzi.’
In those days they shall no more say, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, And the children's teeth are set on edge.”
30 Badala yake, kila mmoja atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi zake mwenyewe; yeyote alaye zabibu chachu, meno yake mwenyewe yatatiwa ganzi.
But every one shall die for his own iniquity; Every man that eateth sour grapes, His teeth shall be set on edge.
31 “Siku zinakuja,” asema Bwana, “nitakapofanya agano jipya na nyumba ya Israeli na nyumba ya Yuda.
Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, That I will make with the house of Israel, And with the house of Judah, a new covenant;
32 Halitafanana na agano nililofanya na baba zao wakati nilipowashika mkono kuwaongoza watoke Misri, kwa sababu walivunja agano langu, ijapokuwa nilikuwa mume kwao,” asema Bwana.
Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, In the day when I took them by the hand To bring them out of the land of Egypt; Which covenant of mine they broke, And I rejected them, saith Jehovah.
33 “Hili ndilo agano nitakalofanya na nyumba ya Israeli baada ya siku zile,” asema Bwana. “Nitaweka sheria yangu katika nia zao, na kuiandika mioyoni mwao. Nitakuwa Mungu wao, nao watakuwa watu wangu.
But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, saith Jehovah, I will put my law into their inward parts, And upon their hearts will I write it; And I will be their God, And they shall be my people.
34 Mtu hatamfundisha tena jirani yake, wala mtu kumfundisha ndugu yake akisema, ‘Mjue Bwana Mungu,’ kwa sababu wote watanijua mimi, tangu aliye mdogo kabisa kwao, hadi aliye mkuu sana,” asema Bwana. “Kwa sababu nitasamehe uovu wao, wala sitazikumbuka dhambi zao tena.”
And they shall teach no more, Every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, Saying, “Know ye Jehovah!” For they shall all know me, From the least of them even to the greatest of them, saith Jehovah; For I will forgive their iniquity, And I will remember their sin no more.
35 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, yeye aliyeweka jua liwake mchana, yeye anayeamuru mwezi na nyota kungʼaa usiku, yeye aichafuaye bahari ili mawimbi yake yangurume; Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndilo jina lake:
Thus saith Jehovah, Who made the sun for a light by day, And the ordinances of the moon and stars for a light by night, Who stirreth up the sea, so that the waves thereof roar, Jehovah of hosts is his name:
36 “Ikiwa amri hizi zitaondoka machoni pangu,” asema Bwana, “ndipo wazao wa Israeli watakoma kuwa taifa mbele yangu daima.”
If these ordinances shall depart from before me, Then shall the race of Israel also cease from being a nation before me forever.
37 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Ikiwa mbingu zilizo juu zitaweza kupimika na misingi ya dunia chini ikaweza kuchunguzwa, ndipo nitakapowakataa wazao wote wa Israeli kwa sababu ya yote waliyoyatenda,” asema Bwana.
Thus saith Jehovah: If the heavens above can be measured, Or the foundations of the earth beneath searched out, Then will I cast off all the race of Israel For all which they have done, saith Jehovah.
38 “Siku zinakuja,” asema Bwana, “wakati mji huu utajengwa upya kwa ajili yangu, kuanzia mnara wa Hananeli hadi Lango la Pembeni.
Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, That the city shall be built to Jehovah From the tower of Hananeel to the corner-gate.
39 Kamba ya kupimia itaanzia hapo kuendelea hadi kwenye kilima cha Garebu, na kisha kugeuka kuelekea Goa.
And the measuring line shall go forth over against it even to the hill Gareb, And extend itself to Goath.
40 Bonde lote watupwapo maiti na majivu pia na matuta yote kutoka Bonde la Kidroni upande wa mashariki hadi pembe ya Lango la Farasi, itakuwa takatifu kwa Bwana. Kamwe mji huu hautangʼolewa tena wala kubomolewa.”
And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, And all the fields to the brook Kidron, Even to the corner of the horsegate toward the East, Shall be holy to Jehovah. No more shall it be plucked up, Or thrown down, forever.
